​Medical applications for 3D printing: for most of us, the idea of 3D printing being used in medicine evokes thoughts of the latest industrial 3D printing technology and multi-million dollar investments. Less known however is the fact that desktop 3D printers (i.e. consumer 3D printers) are also finding their ways into hospitals.

We have owned an Ultimaker Original 3D printer since 2012. While the Ultimaker has been a reliable workhorse it does lack of couple of features that put some limitations to its use: the lack of a heated print bed makes it difficult to work with filaments such as ABS or nylon and its bowden extruder is not really suited to print flexible filament.

Let's be honest, 3D printing can be quite tricky. Home 3D printing technology is still immature and 3D printing beginners who just bought their first machine are faced with a multitude of challenges when it comes to getting reliable and repeatable 3D print results.

This post is a guest contribution by CGTrader, a marketplace for sharing and selling 3D models.

Attempting to define art is a little like trying to describe a color to a blind person. It's an elusive concept that gains different meanings and forms in the eyes of different persons. Since the Stone Age, when the modern human had first made effort to depict the world around him using color pigments and produced what is now considered cave paintings, we exert enormous effort to make art. And art can be anything.

Over time I have compiled a set of tools that I use to make my life easier when 3D printing. No matter whether it is to fix a 3D printer, to remove support material or to improve 3D print adhesion, these tools have come in handy time and time again. I thought it might be a good idea to share the list of the tools and accessories I use most frequently such that you get an idea of what belongs in the 3D printer owner's toolkit.

If you are anything like us, you love to test new 3D printer filament. And who could blame you? The 3D printer filament market is extremely dynamic and new filament types are hitting the market almost every month. Gone by are the days where 3D printer consumables were limited to ABS and PLA plastics only.